STATES GRANTS.
No. 53 of 1945.
An Act to grant and apply out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund sums for the purposes of Financial Assistance to the States of South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.
[Assented to 11th October, 1945.]
Preamble
BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, for the purpose of appropriating the grant originated in the House of Representatives, as follows:—
Short title.
1. This Act may be cited as the States Grants Act 1945.
Commencement
2. This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.
Payment of financial assistance to States.
3. There shall be payable to the States of South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania, during the year which commenced on the first day of July, One thousand nine hundred and forty-five, for the purposes of financial assistance, the sum of Two million nine hundred and ninety-six thousand pounds.
Allocation of grant.
4. The amount payable to each State under this Act shall be the amount shown in the following table opposite the name of that State:—
| £ |
South Australia..................... | 1,400,000 |
Western Australia.................... | 950,000 |
Tasmania......................... | 646,000 |
| 2,996,000 |
Method of payment.
5. The amount payable to any State under this Act shall be paid to that State in equal monthly instalments.
Appropriation.
6. Payments in accordance with this Act shall be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is hereby appropriated accordingly.
Overview
The States Grants Act 1945 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to address the immediate financial needs of South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania during a period of economic strain following World War II. The Act was assented to on 11th October, 1945, and it aimed to provide financial assistance to these states by allocating sums from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. The policy objective of this Act was to ensure that these states received the necessary financial support to maintain public services and economic stability during a challenging period. The Act specifies the total amount to be granted and the method of payment, ensuring that the funds are disbursed in equal monthly instalments to facilitate better financial planning and management for the recipient states.
Scope and Application
The States Grants Act 1945 pertains specifically to the allocation and payment of financial assistance from the Commonwealth's Consolidated Revenue Fund to the States of South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania for the fiscal year commencing on 1 July 1945. This legislation applies directly to the named states and involves the allocation of specific sums of money, detailed in the Act, intended to assist with their financial needs during this period. The geographic scope of the Act is limited to the national level, with no indication of extensions to state or territory levels through subordinate instruments. The Act outlines a precise financial commitment to these states, with no stated exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds beyond the specified allocation for each state. The Act came into operation immediately upon receiving Royal Assent, ensuring that the financial assistance was promptly available to the states as required.
Key Provisions
The States Grants Act 1945 (section 1) designates the Act as the legal framework for the financial assistance to be provided to the States of South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. The Act comes into operation on the day it receives Royal Assent (section 2). The primary financial assistance provision of the Act is the payment of £2,996,000 to the three states for the year beginning 1 July 1945 (section 3). This grant is allocated to each state as specified in the table within section 4: £1,400,000 to South Australia, £950,000 to Western Australia, and £646,000 to Tasmania. The payment of this financial assistance is to be made in equal monthly instalments to each state (section 5), and the payments are to be made from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (section 6).
Under this Act, the government is obligated to ensure the payment of the specified grants in equal monthly instalments to the three states. The funds for these payments are to be sourced from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, effectively appropriating the necessary sums for this purpose. The government must also adhere to the allocation table in section 4, ensuring that each state receives the exact amount specified.
The Act does not explicitly outline any offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for breach. However, the obligations and requirements are stringent, and failure to comply with the terms of the Act could potentially lead to legal challenges or financial disputes. The seriousness of such breaches would likely depend on the specific circumstances and the impact on the affected states. Given the nature of the Act and its historical context, non-compliance could have significant ramifications for the Commonwealth's relationship with the states and the effective governance of financial assistance.